The recent research of Cornell school of hotel administration checked whether satisfied customers are a key to a successful restaurant, Hospitalitynet reports.

Researchers analyzed the performance of three restaurant chains that recorded 80,845 customer visits and established the significant connection between customer satisfaction (as measured by intention to return) and increased sales.

The authors found that a 1-percent increase in customers likelihood of returning would amount to as much as $1.3 million in extra sales (even though the daily increase in sales from satisfied customers is small). While the relationship would be different for other restaurant concepts, the principle is the same. When the likelihood that customers will return increases, so does revenue.

Four factors drove consumer satisfaction meaning that managers should focus on those items. They are delicious food, an appropriate cost, a cheerful greeting, and attentive service. These attributes might be different for other restaurant concepts, but this analysis provides a means of focusing management’s attention on the specific attributes that will improve customer satisfaction and subsequent sales.